Page 59 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade6_Flipbook

Writing Workshop 5 (continued)
• Why does it matter? (Universal)
What do you think the character learned about life as a result of the changes mentioned above?
How does this apply to me or others?
Check Your Understanding
In a first draft the most important thing is to organize and develop your ideas
as fully as you can. The first draft prepares you for the next step of revision by considering what can be added, deleted, or rearranged. As you reread your draft, • Present effective introductory and concluding paragraphs
• Develop an interpretation and state it as a thesis
• Provide evidence from the text to demonstrate understanding
• Guide and inform the reader’s understanding of key issues in body paragraphs • Include specific evidence, details, and examples in body paragraphs
• Include an appropriate organizational structure for the essay
• Use a variety of sentence structures and transitions to link paragraphs
Revising
Language and Writer’s Craft: Revising for Coherence
Coherence
A coherent essay is one that presents ideas that tie together and flow smoothly, making the essay easy for a reader to follow. Two ways to revise for coherence are to use transitional words within and between paragraphs and to use varied sentence structures.
Transitions: Revise to help your reader move through the essay by adding some of these types of transitions:
• Transitions to show examples: for example, for instance, such as, in other words • Transitions to show time: initially, next, after, finally, then, at the same time
• Transitions to show importance: more importantly, most important, most of all, least, last but not least
Varying Sentence Structure
Review your draft to see where you can vary your sentence structure in your paragraphs by using simple sentences or compound sentences. A simple sentence contains one independent clause. Example: The singer bowed to her adoring audience.
A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon (a mark that indicates
a pause between two complete thoughts). Example: The singer bowed to the audience, but she sang no encores.
Combine short, simple sentences to create compound sentences by using coordinating conjunctions. Look at these examples:
• Use the coordinating conjunction and to express similar ideas.
Sometimes people make poor choices, and they do not consider the consequences
of their actions.
• Use the coordinating conjunction but to express different ideas.
At some point, everyone will make a bad decision, but it is the learning that comes
as a result of a bad decision that builds character.
• Use the coordinating conjunction or to express a choice.
In life, we can choose to appreciate the lessons learned from our experiences, or we can choose to be bitter from the experiences we encounter.
8 SpringBoard® Writing Workshop with Grammar Activities Grade 6
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